This blog is dedicated to encouraging people to make quilts and laundry bags to send to Aussie service men and women currently serving overseas and to express our gratitude for their service. We care about the people - not the politics or the mission.
Our quilts are not works of art, but works of the heart.

Thursday, 30 June 2016

NOUGHTS and CROSSES

I have two blocks for you to make this month...a bit of fun!

Scroll to the end of this post and see what gorgeous quilts your blocks will make

The colours are MAROON and GOLD

Jan-Maree, our fearless leader, tells me these represent many sports teams including State of Origin. I have to admit I am not a sports person and am unaware of team colours and so need her guidance with the colour choices

Fabrics can be plain colour, tone-on-tone prints, small all-over prints, medium size all-over prints, Bali prints or batiks...just about anything that is obviously maroon or gold.

Use the colours in the positions shown above

Please use 100% cotton fabric

The seam allowance for the construction is 1/4inch

THANK YOU

so much for contributing to Block of the Month so that many, many quilts

On the wrong side of the fabric, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner of each gold square so that it can easily be seen when sewing - see the gold square below.

With right sides of fabric together, pin 2 gold fabric squares to opposite corners of a maroon square as in the picture below. Place pins on BOTH SIDES of the drawn lines so they don't have to be removed while sewing.

Sew along the drawn lines on each gold square through both layers of fabric.

Cut approx. 1/4inch from the row of stitching, as shown in the picture, removing the excess fabric.

Note - these pairs of triangles could be sewn together along the diagonal line, to make squares for another project.

Press the triangles out to the corners to make eight squares as shown below.

NOUGHTS

Step 1 - Assemble four squares as shown below

Step 2 - Join two together to make half a block and then repeat for the half of the block. Press seams to one side

Step 3 - Join the two half blocks together to make the finished NOUGHTS block. Press seams to one side.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

CROSSES

Step 1 - Assemble four squares as shown below

Step 2 - Join two together to make half a block and then repeat for the half of the block. Press seams to one side

Step 3 - Join the two half blocks together to make the finished CROSS block. Press seams to one side.

Please don't join the two blocks together!

Please don't trim the blocks as those who sew them together will do that to make all the blocks fit together.

Send your finished blocks to

Caroline Gunn

PO Box 3079

St Mary’s South NSW 2760

Here are the quilts that can be made from your blocks. Aren't they gorgeous!

NOUGHTS and CROSSES

I have two blocks for you to make this month...a bit of fun!

Scroll to the end of this post and see what gorgeous quilts your blocks will make

The colours are MAROON and GOLD

Jan-Maree, our fearless leader, tells me these represent many sports teams including State of Origin. I have to admit I am not a sports person and am unaware of team colours and so need her guidance with the colour choices

Fabrics can be plain colour, tone-on-tone prints, small all-over prints, medium size all-over prints, Bali prints or batiks...just about anything that is obviously maroon or gold.

Use the colours in the positions shown above

Please use 100% cotton fabric

The seam allowance for the construction is 1/4inch

THANK YOU

so much for contributing to Block of the Month so that many, many quilts

On the wrong side of the fabric, draw a diagonal line from corner to corner of each gold square so that it can easily be seen when sewing - see the gold square below.

With right sides of fabric together, pin 2 gold fabric squares to opposite corners of a maroon square as in the picture below. Place pins on BOTH SIDES of the drawn lines so they don't have to be removed while sewing.

Sew along the drawn lines on each gold square through both layers of fabric.

Cut approx. 1/4inch from the row of stitching, as shown in the picture, removing the excess fabric.

Note - these pairs of triangles could be sewn together along the diagonal line, to make squares for another project.

Press the triangles out to the corners to make eight squares as shown below.

NOUGHTS

Step 1 - Assemble four squares as shown below

Step 2 - Join two together to make half a block and then repeat for the half of the block. Press seams to one side

Step 3 - Join the two half blocks together to make the finished NOUGHTS block. Press seams to one side.

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3

CROSSES

Step 1 - Assemble four squares as shown below

Step 2 - Join two together to make half a block and then repeat for the half of the block. Press seams to one side

Step 3 - Join the two half blocks together to make the finished CROSS block. Press seams to one side.

Please don't join the two blocks together!

Please don't trim the blocks as those who sew them together will do that to make all the blocks fit together.

Send your finished blocks to

Caroline Gunn

PO Box 3079

St Mary’s South NSW 2760

Here are the quilts that can be made from your blocks. Aren't they gorgeous!

Wednesday, 29 June 2016

Had a quick interview with Ben Fordham on 2GB this afternoon. Apparently some of you lovely people emailed him about Aussie Heroes and what we are going through and so he arranged an interview. You can listen to it here if you like.

Just a quick note. I have received the latest copy of the Darwin Dispatch Newsletter. Normally I ask you to email me if you would like a copy but at the moment I am not able to keep up with all my emails as it is, so please email Joan on the following email and she will kindly send you a copy of the newsletter.

Tuesday, 28 June 2016

I was hoping to get the weekly gratitude post up today but have been waylaid by various things that have come up.... taking delivery of my kitchenware for starters and dealing with an electrician repairing and replacing faultly lights and powerpoints at our new home. Let's just say I am erring on the side of caution at the moment.

Today's good news though is that my defence medals have been returned to me.... and thank goodness they were still in their original metal boxes as I do not thing they would have survived otherwise.

My Australian Defence Medal had the closest shave, the plastic base it was sitting in was significantly damaged and had started to shrink but the ribbons and medals remain untouched!

My Defence Force Service Medal suffered a similar fate and survived also.

One really good case for the Honours and Awards to continue to be sent out in Metal cases. It made a difference.

I am off to sort through some kitchenware. Please bear with me, I will get back to regular posts as soon as I can.

Friday, 24 June 2016

No time to do the Weekly Dispatches tonight but I hope to have a post up next Friday.

Still not managing to keep up with emails but doing better every day. Hope to be back to about 50% AHQ strength next week...no promises, but that is the goal. My focus, as far as AHQ is concerned, is to spend next week reconstructing the request list and the quilter mailing list. If you have not yet emailed Lisa with your contact details please do so as soon as you can as that would be a big help.

We are in much better shape than I thought we would be with thanks to Lisa K and Jess T.

The exhibitions at Government House and the Craft and Quilt Fair seem to be going very well.

Stephanie and

Joan were present and correct today at Government House and

And were there when Di G and Jeanette G showed up to check it out.... Di was thrilled to see her block in one of the chapel quilts.

Bridget (in first pic) and Bev U represented us all at the Craft and Quilt Fair today, with Pam providing some relief in the afternoon and Clarissa attending as well. Rachel from Penrith Sewing Days (and friend, sorry I don't have your name) stopped by to say hello.

One more sleep and we will be in our new (temporary) home and we are all keen to bring it on.

Tomorrow is flat pack day. Just a few pieces to be assembled, beds, chairs, sofa bed, shelving. Here is hoping that at the end of the day we have furniture and a pile of cardboard to show for it.

Our two girls come home to us tomorrow. Huge thanks to Jacqui who has been spoiling them rotten but we are all going to be so glad to be back together again.

The fire investigators have not given up their investigations as yet. They are headed back to the house to see what they can determine. They have been asked to provide access to a house that can be used in a TV special on Fire Prevention and asked for my permission. Of course I said yes as if anything can save another family from experiencing what we have experienced then that will be a blessing.

It sounds as though everyone is enjoying the Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair. I am hearing lots of lovely stories. Make sure you head along and say hi to our ladies. I can't thank all the ladies who have looked after our booth enough, including Cath and Gail who set it up and Clarissa who got it all up and running in my stead. I am afraid of forgetting someone so I won't mention all the ladies who have been at the booth this time... but you know who you are and I am so grateful.

I will be at the Show on Sunday and I can't wait to see it all in person and to say hello to lots of people who have been sending me messages of support. You can't imagine how important it has all been/

No Weekly Dispatches post this week, no time to edit it and put it together. If you have posted off a quilt and have yet to send me the details or a photo please hang on till Monday and then send them. It will be easier for me to keep up with them.

How are you going with our suggestions for how to help while we get back up and running. Is there enough for everyone to be able to do something of you want to? I have tried to keep it simple. Hope it works for you.

Till next time........ thanks for your support.... and happy stitching! I hope to be stitching again soon too,

Wednesday, 22 June 2016

Woo Hoo, huge huge thanks to Clarissa for spear-heading the display at Government House and also at the Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair. Both events could not have gone ahead without her organisational efforts. She flew to Melbourne on Monday but was in the city at Government House helping to set up the display there first.

She was assisted by Val, Lynn and Arthur, shown here with His Excellency General The Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Ret'd), is the 38th Governor of New South Wales.

The quilts will be on display at Government House NSW till Sunday 3 July. My goal is to get in there on the 3rd so that I can pull the display down and bring it home.

SYDNEY QUILTS AND CRAFT FAIRFrom to today til Sunday.....

As if a display at Government House is not enough... we are also at the Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair. The booth was set up yesterday and the Fair runs until Sunday the 26th. Big thanks to all the ladies who are taking it in turns to run the show. I don't have all the names so please excuse me for not naming them all but please, if you go to the Show, take the time to stop in and say hello. Without every one of these awesome ladies we would not have a presence at the show.

Huge, Huge thanks to Gail and Cath for setting the booth up in my absence. You ladies are awesome!!! and the booth looks wonderful. Get along and say hello..

and for you quilters..... Cath is not only a quilter but one of our recipients who has stepped in to fill the breach and she will be at the show today.

Huge thanks also to the team from Expertise Events. They have gone out of their way to help us out, giving us a space, facilitating our presence there behind the scenes in ways I do not have time to explain and even printing a contact list and brochures. If you see anyone from Expertise at the Show please tell them we think they are awesome!

So grateful we saved the chapel quilts!!!

EMAILS

I am back to answering emails but for a very limited amount of time every day so please bear with me. I will take a while to catch up. I currently have 160 emails to answer.... I will get to them so please be patient.

Till next time.................keep spreading the word and happy stitching!

Monday, 20 June 2016

I wanted to publish this last night but had to wait to be able to upload the photo........Sorry it has taken me so long to share this but as I have said, it has been a struggle to keep up with everything. Last night, Sunday, was the first night I spent madly catching up on email. At the time of writing this only 230 emails to go. Please be patient.

Time for some wonderful happy mail though......

I received this message from the Captain of HMAS Darwin and I can't tell you how it warmed my heart.

....

Jan-Maree

I hope today has brought some hope after
yesterdays terrible event. We on Darwin saw the Daily Telegraph
article in which there is a photo of you holding the framed photo from HMAS Darwin,
from the last deployment up here.

We can never replace that, however today, all
our ships company who have received a Quilt or Laundry Bag from you and your
team, got out and had another photo taken for you, attached below. We
will, present you a framed version when we get home, but our team wanted to let
you know they fully support you in your time of need.

In addition to the photo, we will be arranging
to send your in excess of $6500, which the fantastic ships company that I have
the pleasure to serve with, have donated, for you to use and re-establish
Aussie Hero Quilts and the wonderful work you do.

Anything we can do, please call/email. Our
thoughts are with you and your family.

....

Most of you have probably heard that the crew of HMAS Darwin suffered their own tragic loss with the death of one of their own whilst in port in Muscat Oman you can read about it here

The Captain on HMAS Darwin has invited all those who sent quilts or laundry bags to his crew to attend their Welcome Home Ceremony on the wharf when the day comes. A few quilters were a little worried that we might be intruding given the fact that they will be grieving one of their own. I emailed the captain to make sure he still felt it was appropriate for us to attend.

Here is his response in part....

.....

We would still love
to have you and the quilters there, even more so! You are part of our
'family' and we would want you there.

.....

If you are intending to attend on the day please can you email me with the names of those who will be attending and the rego details for your car if appropriate.

Til next time...............keep spreading the word and happy stitching!

Sunday, 19 June 2016

Lisa K is set up and ready to start collating the list of volunteer quilters and laundry bag makers for Aussie Heroes. If you sew for us in any way, even if you are one of our volunteer quilters, can you please email Lisa on the following address

ahqquilters@gmail.com

And provide her with the following information:

First Name, Last Name, Email, Postal address, phone number/s.

Anyone who is new to Aussie Heroes please also send Lisa your details, Eventually we will refine the list somewhat but for now we will put everyone on the same list.

Hi allPlease bear with me if I post a few short info/business posts but it is the easiest way to communicate with the majority of people as not everyone has Facebook.1. A big thank you to all those that volunteered to collate the quilter's details. Lisa K was very quick to put her hand up to help me, and as she is more or less "local" to me, and is already involved with the "technical" side of Aussie Heroes (as well as being a quilter) she is already familiar with the systems to that makes life much easier. We will be setting up a special email for quilters to use so standby for that. 2. Our previous post specified several ways people can get involved and help. I know lots of you have great ideas but if you can possibly please stick to the suggestions we have given so far that would be appreciated. I am still trying to establish a home for my husband and sons as well as get AHQ up and running. I have to do things in an organised and strategic manner or I will become swamped. One step at at time please. 3. If you have a query feel free to ask the question on the Facebook page if you are on Facebook and if someone can help you they will. If you still don't get an answer then email me. I am trying to keep up with the comments but emails are easier for me to see. 4. If you have been given a name and address to send a quilt or a laundry bag to please continue to do so. Just because I am out of action temporarily deployments go on and people need their goodies. I do not have the request list up and running to do not have anywhere to record that parcels have been sent. Can you please keep a record of what you send off, who you send it to and when you send it and i will call for the details when i catch up.... hopefully after the 26th of June. 5. Finally, if you are sewing quilts and laundry bags that need homes please just keep sewing. As soon as I can I will be calling for people to send quilts and bags off and I will let you know when you tell me what you have ready to go.Please bear with me, we will get up and running again. Believe it or not losing my house to a fire was one of my biggest fears in life, as was losing my laptop and all my Aussie Hero Records........I now know I can survive both,,.... with time.... and lots of support from you wonderful people.Till next time...................keep spreading the word and happy stitching!Jan-Maree xx

Caroline here again, Jan-Maree has compiled the list below of different ways that you can help while she is getting back on her feet and re-establishing a base for Aussie Hero Quilts. It is so lovely that so many of you have put your hands up to lend a hand. The quilting and defense force communities are fabulous, and it has been lovely to see how we have all surrounded her with the love she deserves. How To Help.Firstly, please do not send things direct to Jan-Maree as she needs to get storage set up. She's not sure how much room she will have in her temporary head quarters so needs to think strategically about what we collect.Non-sewers

Australia post vouchers... JM needs to be able to buy 3 and 5 kg satchels to send quilts off to be posted as well as stamps.

Vouchers can be sent to

Aussie Hero QuiltsPO Box 248Cherrybrook NSW 2126

Donations to our bank account so that we can get more batting, backing fabrics, cord for laundry bags.... Please PM for the account details

Collect new or gently used tea towels (Aussie themes or funny ones) but please wait until asked to send them.

SewersFabric donations I know lots of you want to send fabric to build up our stash again and storage for Jan-Maree will be an issue. The lovely people from Blessington Pty Ltd (Singer, Husqvarna/Viking, Pfaff, Handi Quilter and Accuquilt) have kindly donated space at their Seven Hills Office to store any fabric donations you wish to send to Aussie Hero's.They will store it for us until we are in a position to have it sorted and moved to the new HQ in time. Please understand if we don't respond to all the parcels that arrive as the work load involved in re-establishing Aussie Hero's is huge and this is something that will take time.At the moment we are only in a position to accept Fat Quarters and Width of Fabric. We would prefer not to receive UFO's, Orphan Blocks or Scraps. Please send fabric donations toAussie Hero Quilts DonationsUnit 17, 167 Prospect HwySeven Hills NSW 2147

You could also do any of the followingBLOCKS

If you only want to make blocks.. Please make our star blocks in the following themes...Star Tutorial

Aussie (good for everyone but especially Wounded Warrior Quilts)

Or footy colours

Red/whiteBlue/whiteBlue/yellowMaroon/goldTeal/blackOrange/yellow and blackPurple/goldBrown/gold

That does not cover all teams but we can add colours when quilts are constructed to make them suit a specific team.QUILTS

If you want to make a whole quilt then go for it ...Quilt Specifications HereWe have loads of people waiting and if we wait until Jan-Maree reconstructs the request list then it will take too long to get quilts made and we don't have time to allocate requests. This is what JM wants to keep it simple for the moment.

We have HMAS Perth at sea so nautical quilts.... You can add BZ, to the ship's name, their motto is Flight and Flourish. Their side number is 157.

Make quilts in the following footy colours - these are the most commonly requested. I would hate you to make a quilt and have to wait to send it off because we do not have a request for a specific team.

Red/whiteBlue/whiteBlue/yellowMaroon/gold

Make "random" blokey or gender neutral quilts. Blokes like bright and colourful as well as blues and browns.

If you are happy to appliqué add southern crosses, Roos, other Aussie icons. Add Aussie sayings. Don't add footy logos/ Rising Suns or RAAF crests as that restricts who they can be allocated to.

Please don't make ultra simple quilts with one piece of fabric on the front. We have lots of volunteers so we can take a bit more time and make these pieced quilts.

LAUNDRY BAGS

Make bags in any of the above themes, colours..... Put patches on them or wait till I give you a name to add initials. Gather up tea towels to make them out of.

Once you have made your Quilt/blocks/ laundry bags please HOLD them til JM asks you to post them. In a couple of weeks she should be back on deck and ready to collect the mail regularly etc so people will be able to post blocks direct to her.

In three or four weeks Jan -Maree will start to put the request list together again and will start allocating names for you to send your quilts/bags to directly.

A quick note from Jan-Maree"I hope to be back to ops normal soon..... At least as far as AHQ is concerned.

Big, big BZ and thanks to Clarissa who has stepped into the breach to coordinate the Government House Exhibition and the Sydney Craft and Quilt Fair. We don't have our brochures, most of our patches for sale or photo books any more but we will make do and we will get by.

Massive thanks to those who will be manning to booth at the Craft and Quilt Fair, especially Gail and other who will be helping to set the booth up. I was supposed to be there every day but now just for the Sunday.

Huge thanks to those who are stepping up to staff the exhibition at Government House in my stead. I plan to be there on Sunday 3 July. Hope you will come by and say hello.

Thank you all for your kindness. Patience, support, loyalty and love. I can't thank you all enough."Happy StitchingCheersCaroline